Handhole closure



Feb. 14, 1928.

[N V EN T ORS H ANDHOLE CLOSUR J. J. NELIS ET AL FiledDec. 11. 1925 letented Feb. 14, 1928,

ASS

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FIELD, HEW/i7 ZiERSEI WWHEELER CGRPDEATION, 01? NEW rrnitnrrotnGLOETJIELE,

' Application filed. December 11, 1925. Serial No. 14,665.

The gene object of the present inven tion to proiide an improved closurefor hand hole openings in boiler walls, superhenter and economizerheaders, and gener ally where hand hole closures are subjected torelatively high pressures and temperatnres. More specifically, theobject of the invention is to proviue an improved hand hole closure ofthe type in which n gaslret is compressed between the peripheral wall ofthe hand hole and an incompressible por tion of the hand hole closurelocated witl in said opening.

in a hand hole closure of the type just described, the joint is sealedwithout necessnrily anchoring the closure against axial movement in saidhole, and in consequence iorce, accidentally applied to the externalportion of the closure, may displace the lat ter and thereby destroy orinjure the gasket and cause leakage, and the present invention ischaracterized by the provisions made for anchoring a closure of theabove mentioned type to the wall in which the closure is mounted.

lhe various features oi novelty which characterize our invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,however, its advantages and specific objects attained with its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which we have illustrated and described preferred embodimentsof our invention.

@t the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a section on Fig. 2;

the line 11 of ldig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of a wallprovided with the improved hand hole closure;

Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section illustrating a modified clsure;I

d is a front elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 3; and

5 is a section taken similarly to Fig. 1 illustrating a manner in whichthe closure can tail when the guard member is omitted. in the form ofhand hole closure illus trzited in the drawings, B represents the bodyor plug member of the hand hole closure for the opening it in headerwall A, or the like. As shown, the member B comprises an enlarged headportion which bears against the inner side of thewall A. at the marginof the opening A. As shown in Fig. 2, the outline B of the enlarged.head is ova-l to permit otthe insertion nndre moval of the head throughthe opening A which ordinarily is cylindrical and of a diameter lessthan the maximum diameter of the head outline B) lmmediately adjacentthe enlarged head and at the outer side of tion B of the member B. Inthe preferred construction illustrated, the surface B is u plsnejsurisceand the gasket engaging end surface portion is tapered'so that the portion of the gasket engaging the wall of the hole A is thicker than theportion engaging F the periphery of the part B Preferably the portion Bof the plug member B should be cylindricnl as shown.

The member D, which may be described as cup-shaped, is formed with apassage 1) in its end wall through which the threaded stem portion B ofthe member l3 extends.

finClVZllllLtlQGOUSlY, as shown, the end wall oi? the member D 1sinternally recessed to re-;

ceive a portion B of the member B which is larger in diameter than thestem portion l3 and appreciably smaller in diameter than the glandsurrounded portion B The members l5 and i) should be keyed together toprevent their relative rotation, and as shown, this key action issecured by means of ribs B at the periphery of the portion B which enterlongitudinally extending grooves formed in the adjacent portion of themember 1). The members B and D are drawn together by a nut E screwed onthe threaded stem B A cup-shaped guard member F bears at its rim againstthe outer surface of the wall A at some distance from the margin of theopenin r As shown,

the member F is formed with a hub portion F threaded to receive the stemB and advantageously, as shown, the member F is formed with notches F 2at its rim which serve as drain holes for any fluid working through thehand hole. For use with boiler and like pressure temperature conditions,the plug member B and gland member D are advantageously steel forgingparts. The guard member F may also be a steel forging or may be made ofother metal.

It will be observed that while the head portion B of the member 13 isnormally held against the inner face of the wall A by the internal fluidpressure, the hole A is actually sealed, and leakage through the jointsof the closure is prevented by the gasket C. The latter may be made ofsoft metal, impregnated fabric or other compressible gasket materialsuitable for use under the temperature, pressure and other adverseconditions of use. Normally, as shown in Fig. 1, the enlarged headportion of the member D does not engage the outer surface of the wall A,but is spaced away from the latter to insure uniform pressure on thegasket and to permit the possibility of further gasket compression whensuch compression becomes necessary to avoid leakage. lVit-h the enlarged head of the member D thus spaced away from the wall A, there isnothing in the closure proper to prevent inward movement of the closurefor a distance suificient to destroy the joint sealing effectiveness ofthe gasket.

The manner in which the effectiveness of the closure may be impaired byinward movement as the result, for example, of an accidental blowagainst the external portion of the closure, is illustrated in Fig. 5.hen the closure is forced inward as shown in Fig. 5, the gasket extrudcsbetween the inner margin of the opening A and the enlarged head of theplug member B, thus reducing the pressure of the gasket material againstthe peripheral wall of the hole A and the outer surface of the portion13 which normally prevents leakage. The extrusion of the gasketmaterial, as shown in Fig. 5, not only gives rise to leakage, butordinarily requires the extruded and distorted gasket to be replaced bya new gasket before. the hand hole opening can be properly rescaled.Furthermore, when the gasket is distorted as shown in Fig. 5, it is aptto be blown entirely out otplace by the pressure, thus giving rise toserious leakage. The guard member F applied asshown in Figs. 1 and 2.obviously prevents any accidental displacement of the closure and theill consequences of such displacement illustrated in Fig. 5. While in ageneral way the utility of the closure does not depend on the form ofthe gasket engag ing surfaces of the members 13 and D, We

believe the best results are obtainable when the surface B at the bottomor inner side oi the gasket is a plane surface, as shown.

In lieu of the eup-shaped guard member F shown in Figs. 1 and it, guardmembers of other form may be employed. For exain 'ilc, I may employ aguard member in the form of the simple yoke or lishaped member (it.shown in Figs. 3 and l. The member Qiis formed with a tin-ended openingto receive the end of the stem ll". and has bent end portions whichengage the outer surface oi" the wall A at opposite sides at the openingA. While the member (it does not as elli ectiuilly enclose and shieldthe outer portion of the hand hole closure prom-r against all sorts oilinjuries as does the cup-shaped memboi' F, the member G is obviouslycilia-tire to prevent displatauncut oi the closure. and in large partprotects the external end of the closure against injury byaccidentalrontart with ex ternal. objects. The oke member (I, which maywell be a steel. tin'giugr. posse ses the special advant: thatitflacilitntes the op cration of holding the closure parts againstrotation "when the nut lil being tightened up, or is being loosenedprepin'atory to the removal of the closure. For thus holding the closureagainst rotation. I pre t'erably employ a. bar-like implement I. whichmay be inserted between one leg oi the yoke and the extending side ofthe head portion of the gland member D, which. as shown, is of polygonalform. and as previously described, is held against rotation relative tothe plug member B by the key ribs I. The bar I inserted as shown in Fig.t, prevents rotation of the gland without interfering with theengagement oi the nut F by a wrench ll employed to rotate the nut. 13ypreventing the gland D from rotating when the nut bl is being tightenedor loosened, I avoid the cutting or wearing away of the gasket G orother parts of the closure which is apt to no cur it and when the partsare permitted to rotate in assembling or disassembling the closure.

It will be apparent. oi course. that rotation of the gland D while theout It is being tightened or loosened, may be prevented by theapplication at a. wrench directly to the i)olygonal head of the memberD. but the yoke G and inuilen'ient I torm such convenient and eilectivemeans tor the purpose. that in practice I prefer to provide an elementlike the yoke member G and a tool like the bar I, for ten'iporarilyholding the gland D against rotation in tighten ng and loosening the nutE even though the closure normally protected by a guard member F of theconstruction shown in, l and 2.

The closure construction proper illustrut ed herein, is desirably simpleand ell'ective as well as relatively inexpensive and durable. The gasketC may be readily and intil) expensivcly renewed when such renewalbecomes necessary, and the hand hole may be opened and recloser i withcomparative ease ver necessary. In case of gasket fail- "a use, the atendants and bystanders are 'noroughly proteetid by the guard F and areprotected to a substantial degree gu (l t the risk of being cl: andinjured by heavy portions of the t or other closure parts blown out offhile in accordancewith the provisions ot the statutes, we ha illustratedand de scribed the b 't i'or ojt embodiment of our invention now knownto us, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes maybe made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing fromthe spirit of our invention as set forth in the appended claims and thatin some cases certain features of our invention may be used to advantagewithout a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hand hole closure. the combination of a plug membercoinprisii'ig an enlarged head, a threaded stem, and an intermediateportion, said head being adapted to engage the inner surface of a wallhaving a hand hole opening at the u'iargin ot said Opening, with saidintern'iediate portion located in said opening and separated from theperipl'ieral wall thereof by a gasket receiving space and with said stemprojecting from the outer side of said wall, a glandfiprovided with anaperture to receive said stem and comprising a et compressing portionadapted to enter said space, a nut threaded on said stem for moving saidgland toward said head, and a guard member threaded on said stein on theouter side of said nut and shaped to extend about said nut and glandinto engagement with the outer side oi said wall at the margin of saidopening, the outer face of said member and the end of said stem being insubstantially the same plane.

2. in a hand hole closure, the combination of a plug member comprisingan enlarged head, a threaded stem, and an intermediate portion, saidhead being adapted to engage the inner surface or": a wall having a handhole opening at the margin of said opening. with said intermediateportion located in said o ening and separated from the peripheral wallthereof by a gasket receiving space and with said stem projecting fromthe outer side at said wall, a gland provided with an aperture toreceive said stem'and comprising a gasket compressing portion adapted toenter said space, and a nut threaded on said stem for moving said glandmediate portion, said head being adapted to engage the inner surface ofa wall having a hand hole opening at the margin of said opening, withsaid intermediate portion located in said opening and separated from theperipheral wall thereof by a gasket reeeiving space and with said steinprojecting from the outer side of said wall, a gland provided with anaperture to receive said stem and comprisii'ig a gasket compressingportion adapted to enter said space, a nut threaded on said stem formoving said gland toward said head, and a guard member threaded on saidstem on the outer side of said nut and shaped to extend about said nutand gland into engagement with the outer side of said wall at the marginof said opening, said gland and plug member having eo-operative surfacespermitting axial, but preventing angular relative adjustments of saidmember and gland, and said gland having a portion adapted to be engagedby means preventing rotation of the gland when said nut is beingtightened and loosened.

4:. In a hand hole closure, the combination of a plug member comprisingan enlarged head, a threaded stem, and an intermediate portion, saidhead being adapted to engage the inner surface of a wall having a'handhole opening at the margin of said opening, with said intermediateportion located in i said opening and separated from the peripheral wallthereof by a gasket receiving space and with said stem projecting fromthe outer ber threaded on said stem on the outer side of said nut withits legs extending about head, a threaded stem,'and an intermediate,

portion, said head being adapted to engage the inner surface of a wallhaving a hand hole opening at the margin of said opening, with saidintermediate portion located in said opening and separated from theperipheral Wall thereof by a gasket receiving space and with said stemprojecting from the outer side of said wall, a gland provided with anaperture to receive said stem and eoinpria ing a portion adapted toenter said space. a nut threaded on said stem for moving said glandtoward said head. and a yoke shaped member threaded on said stein on theouter side of said nut with its legs extending about said nut and glandinto engagement with the outer surface of said Wall, said gland having:a. flattened portion between which and an adjacentleg of the lastmentioned member an implement may be inserted to prevent rotation of thegland when said nut is being tightened and loosened.

G. In a hand hole closure. the combination of a plug member comprisingan enlarged head, a plug centering portion adjacent said head, athreaded stem, and an intermediate port-ion between the stem andcentering portion and of smaller diameter than saidcentering portion,said head beingadapted to engage the inner surface of a Wall having ahand hole opening at the margin of said opening, with said centering andlfltDTllltl diate portions located in said opening and forming the innerend and internal walls of an annular gasket receiving space within saidopening, and with said stein projecting from the outer side of said'all. the end surface of said centering portion forming the inner end ofsaid gal-diet receiving spare being a plane surface, a gland providedwith a recess and an aperture to receive said intern'iediate portion andstem respectively and comprising a gasket compressing portion adapted toenter said space, said gland and intermediate portion being providedWith cooperating surfaces preventing the rehitire rotation of saidparts, and a nut threaded on said stem for moving said gland toward saidhead Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State ofNew York, this 9th day of December, A. D. 192:".

JOSEPH J. NELIS. STANFIELD N. ARNOLD.

